CANMORE – The last time residents of the Bow Valley could enjoy the live music of the Bow Valley Music Festival was 2019. Now, the festival is ready to return to its roots with live music in the post-pandemic world.
“It is going to be very exciting because we have all missed live music and it gives us the opportunity to come back as a music community and share our love of music,” said Cathy Robinson, secretary of the Bow Valley Music Festival.
There was no festival in 2020, but it was held virtually in 2021 and 2022.
“We had to announce that we could not follow through with live and we had to send out messages via the paper and e-mail to contact everyone,” said Robinson. “Our IT person had to set up his software for that as well as the students who had to be recorded for it. It was a challenge for the teachers and the students.”
The festival does more than provide young musicians with a chance to showcase their talents, it also helps build their confidence.
“The Bow Valley Music Festival has been providing private music students and music teachers and opportunity to gather and be adjudicated in a non-competitive setting,” Robinson said. “It inspires students to develop a lifelong skill.”
The audience is typically comprised of family and friends, as well as music teachers who support the students participating in the festival.
“They can expect to see beginner, intermediate and advanced students performing their pieces for the audience,” Robinson said. “There is significant value in performing in front of people and being adjudicated and receiving positive and constructive feedback.”
The festival runs from March 23 to 26, 2023 at artsPlace and St. Michael’s Hall. It features young musicians from across the Bow Valley region. It also provides private music teachers with a venue in which they can exchange ideas and support.
“They are building friendships in the music community and having peers who do what they do which encourages them to continue to study,” Robinson said.
Registration for the festival opens on Feb. 1, and closes on March 9. For more information, visit www.bvmusicfestival.com
